Hindrance
by SuperSmasher4Ever
Summary: He knew he wasn't allowed to become a Pokémon Trainer by his mother. He hated being babied, and his mother sheltering him from outside made him angrier than he would admit. So, when he turned the legal age of ten, he bought a Pokéball. He covered the scar. If no one saw it, they didn't assume he was helpless. When he returned, he was going to be stronger. Dark-ish Ash. Smarter.
1. Leaving

**So while I am going to spend some extra time on the latest chapter of my first story, Give Little Gain Much, I am going to be starting a new story. Not much really needs to be said on this, besides welcome to my new story, or if you're new, welcome to my stor**_**ies**_**.**

**Disclaimer: If I owned the Pokémon Franchise, I'd make an OC that would rule the Pokémon world, and forced his servants to obey him. But I don't. So nevermind what you just read.**

**Funny quote: **

"**School: 2+2=**

**Exam: 2x2=**

**Homework: 2x Circumference of the sun="**

**x :D x**

Ash Ketchum was a young and carefree young boy. At the age of 6, he was already planning on his Pokémon journey. He was one day playing with his best friend, Gary Oak, out in the woods near his town.

"Hey Ash," Gary poked him in the shoulder. "Tag, you're it!"

Gary ran off into the woods, causing Ash to yell and chase after him.

"Get back here Gary!"

Unbeknownst to them, their shouting had caused unnecessary attention. A worldwide migration of Pokémon had begun, and unusual Pokémon had inhabited the woods near the forest. A large Pokémon was disturbed by their yelling, and roared loudly before chasing after the two kids.

Ash and Gary both heard the loud roar, causing both of them to stop their game and pause. The large Pokémon quickly closed in on them, roaring again before slashing at them.

Gary screamed and ran off, back to the direction of pallet town, leaving Ash who was too frightened to run. The attack hit him in the left eye, the pain too much for the little kid before he passed out.

The large Pokémon, mistaking Ash's passed out form for dead, left.

Ash was later found by Gary and Professor Oak, who Gary had pleaded to help Ash and follow him. He was passed out, a large vertical cut over his left eye.

Oak picked him up and carried him to the Lab, where he instructed his Alakazam to teleport them to Viridian City's hospital.

**x :D x**

Delia Ketchum had been in the waiting room for several hours before they allowed her to see her son. She got up from her chair and followed the nurse to the room where Ash was laid on a bed. He wasn't awake yet, but his left eye was bandaged up.

The nurse looked at her when she walked in.

"We did all we could, and the only thing left to do is to wait until he wakes," The Nurse explained. "His left eye is damaged beyond healing, and he will be blind there."

Delia nodded tightly, gripping the side of the bed tighter. If only she hadn't let them go out into the woods earlier!

Gary and Oak had informed her of Ash's condition, Gary crying that he had left his friend to the large Pokémon Oak had said was an Ursaring from Gary's description. They had to go back to Oak's lab to tend for the Pokémon there, and couldn't stay to hear of Ash's condition.

They would be heartbroken of Ash's state. They had been counting on Ash becoming a Pokémon Trainer. Gary had always wanted to be a Rival to him.

He couldn't go on a Pokémon journey the way he was now. He would be in much more danger without a left eye than both. His visibility in a battle would be halved, and in a wild Pokémon fight, he wouldn't be able to see to the left side of himself, where a Pokémon might attack.

It would make him very depressed, but Ash Ketchum could not go on a Pokémon journey.

**x :D x**

_4 Years Later…_

Ash Ketchum had changed significantly.

Gary and him were no longer friends. Ever since the _incident, _they had started growing apart. They had stopped meeting eachother more and more, until they just never saw each other at all.

Ash had grown his hair so that it would cover his left eye. Many people took pity on him because he had a blind eye, but if no one saw it, they didn't assume he was helpless.

He had a darker outlook on Pokémon. He was now much more cautious around them. He never went back into the woods where he was attacked.

He knew that he wasn't allowed to become a Pokémon Trainer by his mother. She said it was too dangerous and unsafe for him to leave. He became bitter after that conversation. So when he turned the legal age of ten, he bought a Pokéball.

He left a note for his mother to find, and grabbed his hat and bag before going out the front door. He knew he wasn't going to see his mother and Oak for a long time. Gary had already set out months earlier. He would miss them, but he had to go his own way. He hated being babied, and his own Mother wanting to shelter him from outside had made him angrier than he could admit to her.

So he left the house. Fitted with a bag, his hat, and a Pokéball, He walked through the gate of Pallet Town, and into route 1.

When he returned, he was going to be stronger.

**x :D x**

The one Pokéball Ash bought was special to him. He wasn't going to waste it on a low leveled Pidgey, or Rattata. His first Pokémon had to be something better than a first catch like those.

So when he found a Pikachu, sleeping under a tree peacefully, he knew it was perfect. He also knew a sleeping Pokémon was easier to catch than an awake one, he slowly and carefully tiptoed over to it, wary of its sensitive ears. When he was finally close enough, he threw it gently, to not wake it up with too much noise.

It didn't even see it coming, and was sucked into the Pokéball. Ash waited, holding his breathe. It rolled once. Then twice.

Then opened, spilling out an angry Pikachu, and throwing the ball back to Ash, who just barely caught it.

The Mouse Pokémon let out an angry squeak, before shooting electricity at Ash, who just barely dodged to the right. The electricity continued on behind Ash, hitting a lone flying type.

The bird squaked loudly as it was shocked, the noise prompting a whole flock of them to check it out. They chirped angrily, before turning on Ash and Pikachu, and flying at them. The First one made it to Pikachu first, pecking at it with its sharp beak.

Ash gave an angry growl before running over and picking up Pikachu. He ran away from the flock of Spearow, carrying Pikachu with him. Pikachu gave a little squeal in protest, but it died when it noticed the large flock chasing them.

Ash kept running until he made it to a small waterfall. Spinning around to look at the flock still chasing them, Ash put his left foot a little bit behind him to make a run for the other direction. His left foot hit a rock Ash couldn't see with his one eye, and he slipped off the edge. Ash gave a shocked yell, clutching Pikachu tighter to him, before getting pushed under the water.

Holding his breath for as long as he could, he caught on to a line in the water. He pulled on it urgently, running out of breath. He was slowly pulled to shore, still holding Pikachu with his one hand. He let go of the hook and used his one arm to pull himself on land.

The one with the fishing rod gave a startled yelp, before rushing over to them. She helped Ash onto shore, pulling his right arm. He set Pikachu onto shore, and was relieved to find that it was still breathing. He didn't have much time before the flock found them again, following the river.

The girl, noticing his stare, gasped before pulling him to his feet.

"Quick, use my bike! Get to Viridian City and get your Pokémon for help!" She said desperately.

"W-what about...you?" Ash gasped, breathing hard.

"I'll just hide, but you're Pokémon needs help, hurry!" She pulled him to her bike, helping him get on. He put Pikachu in the basket before pedalling off. He looked back to see the girl crouching in some bushes as the flock flew by.

He pedalled harder. The wet ground making it hard to steer. He quickly lost control when going over a puddle. The bike slipped, crashing to the ground. Pikachu went flying out of the basket.

The flock was almost upon them. Ash made a split second decision.

The Pokéball he had in his pocket clicked against the Pikachu's side. Ash caught a glimpse of its surprised and fearful eyes before getting sucked in. The Pokéball rolled three times before clicking, but Ash paid it no mind. The flock found its way to him. He was pecked, scratched, and tackled, but he stood his ground.

When the attacks finally subsided, and the Pokémon flew back into the woods, he felt weak.

His eyes started closing by themselves. Ash fought it, but quickly fell unconscious, his battered body having took too much pain.

**x :D x**

**I was listening to Pokémon Mystery Dungeon music while writing this. Dialga's fight to the finish. It was pretty epic, and I wrote the chase scene sort of in tune with it. So that was my first chapter, and I hope you liked it.**

**I always liked the idea of Main Characters with a disability. In Ash's case, its his blindness, in the left eye. Oh, and he isn't dead. Yet. No, just kidding. What kind of story would this be if the main character died in the first chapter? Well, besides a One-Shot.**

**I am still on the lookout for a nice beta reader. Soof needs to tend to his own things for awhile, and he doesn't need extra things to do like Beta-ing. Nonetheless, check him out. His penname is Soof49.**

**Reviews are Love. And I finally decided to devote my life to them.**


	2. Starting

**I am very sorry for the late update. I have had many things keep me busy in the last few weeks. I will try to open up my schedule a bit more to be able to type. As it is, I have very little time between schoolwork and family matters.**

**Thank you all for the huge support last chapter! Well, maybe not huge for some, but definitely for me! Yes, last chapter was short, but the next ones will be longer, I swear.**

**Maybe. Not this one, but **_**definitely **_**next time.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Pokémon. Unfortunately, I can't make my favorite Pokémon, Lucario, unbelievably over powered with Huge Power, or something to that effect.**

"Its funny how you find you enjoy your life, when you're happy to be alive."

**x XD x**

Ash groaned as he opened his eyes, immediately shut them afterwards, as the light in the room he was in was too blinding for his eye.

He sat up, noting that he was still aching and looked around the room. Suddenly the door to his far right was pushed open. A woman in a pink nurse's uniform with a pink dress walked in with a Pokémon carrying a cart.

"Oh, I didn't know you were awake already," The nurse looked at his wounds. "The painkillers I gave you should have kept you asleep for a little while longer."

"Chansey chan." The pink Pokémon next to the Nurse handed her a needle.

"I'm sorry, but I have to take a blood sample. I was hoping you were going to be asleep for this." She bent over and lifted Ash's sleeve up on his right arm. She stuck the needle into his arm, withdrawing blood. Ash didn't even wince, he was too sore to do that.

"There, thats all we needed." She put away the needle. "Someone has been asking to see you. Would you like to have me bring her in?"

Ash nodded, also noting that his throat was dry.

The girl that had gave him her bike walked in. Ash hadn't had a chance to really look at her when he was running from the flock. She had bright orange hair, tied up in a ponytail that hung to the right. She wore suspenders, and a small yellow shirt that stopped at about the middle of her stomach.

"Glad to see you're fine." She looked at his cuts and bruises. "Well, breathing at least."

She dug around in her pocket before bringing out a Pokéball.

"You dropped your Pokéball," she handed it to him. "I found it when you were unconscious."

Ash enlarged it and looked at the transparent top of the Pokéball. The Pikachu he had saved was sleeping soundly in it.

"Thank you." His voice sounding raspy.

"Why didn't you have your Pokémon protect you?" She asked. "Your Pokémon is a Pikachu, right? Electric types are super effective against Flying types like Spearow."

Ash sighed. He asked her if he could get a drink, his throat very dry. She nodded and went out the room to get some water for him, not even asking him for an answer.

She returned a bit later holding a glass of water. He drank it quickly, setting the glass on the table next to the bed.

He took a deep breath, then retold the story, starting with him leaving Pallet Town. He left out the details that included him leaving his home.

"Thats it," Ash said. "I woke up and noticed I was in the hospital."

"Thats nice and all, but-" The orange haired girl was interrupted by the nurse.

"I'm sorry, but we need to do a few more tests. Could you wait outside until we're done?" She asked Misty.

She sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I'll catch up with you later."

**x XD x**

The next morning, Ash was allowed to leave.

He slung his backpack onto his shoulder and left the Pokémon Center. He had been unconscious after the Spearow attack for three days, and he was itching to get back on the road.

He pulled the Pokéball out his pocket and enlarged it. Pikachu was awake, as it stared at Ash through the transparent top of the Pokéball. Ash clicked the button on the side of the ball.

The yellow mouse materialized on the ground in front of him. Its long yellow ears twitched before looking wearily up at Ash.

"I guess I'm your trainer now," He picked up the Electric-Type. "That is, if you want to stay with me."

Pikachu tilted its head, before nodding and chittering happily. Ash made a aim for Pikachu with the Pokéball, before Pikachu shook its head in discomfort. He frowned. Weren't Pokémon supposed to stay in their Pokéballs?

"I guess you can walk with me," He shrugged. "Just stay close and don't get lost."

Pikachu cried happily, before leaping onto Ash's shoulders. He nearly dropped the Pokémon before getting used to the new weight. He smiled softly before moving on.

He was almost to the gate that led to Viridian Forest when he was stopped by someone familiar. The girl, Misty, had run to where she thought he'd be when the Nurse told him that he had left. She gasped for air when she had finally caught up with him, face red from running so far.

"You...never told me...you were...leaving," She leaned over and tried to catch her breath.

"...You never asked." Ash replied.

"Well," She finally started to breath normally. "I thought we could travel together."

He looked at her.

"Well," She blushed a little. "Not forever. Just until we get to Cerulean. You are going for the badges, right?"

He nodded. To challenge the Elite Four and Champion, one needed to collect the eight badges of a Region. To get a badge, you needed to challenge a Gym Leader. Gym Leader's Gyms were in certain Cities, and once you challenged them and defeated them, you got a badge.

For someone who wanted to be someone strong and Important, like the Champion, collecting badges was a necessity. Ash decided that to show everyone at his home that he wasn't as useless as they believed, he needed to show them that he could take care of himself.

He nodded to Misty. One of the Gyms were located in Cerulean City.

"Then we can travel together until we get there," She straightened up. "I uh… have some stuff I need to take care of there."

Ash smiled at her. Pikachu was sniffing her legs. "What kind of things?"

"Nothing that you need to know, you brat." She huffed.

Ash blinked at her sudden mood swing. Then he smirked.

"Would it happen to have something to do with being a Gym Leader?"

She gaped at him. "Wha- How did you know that?!" She yelled, surprising Pikachu, so that it jumped back.

"Theres a poster of the League challenge in nearly every city and newspaper. Of course you would be in at least one."

"And you didn't tell me you knew in the time I met you?"

"Sorry, I guess I didn't have the time to when I was being chased by Spearow." He retorted.

"Ugh, whatever. Lets get going before the sun goes down." She made to start walking.

"Whatever, princess."

Misty's eye twitched.

**x XD x**

Misty slid her mallet back into her backpack a few minutes later. Don't worry, she'd never hurt the cute little mouse Pokémon. The Pokémon was riding her shoulders at that point.

**x XD x**

**Just a short little chapter while I get back into the swing of things. Being gone for awhile does that, unfortunately. I'm not even on my own PC right now. I'm on my sister's, in fact. Very… fragile old thing.**

**Hurray for early update! Hurray for the starting of a rewrite on Give Little, Gain Much! Rewrite posted as Give little to gain much!**

**My screen is cracked on **_**mine, **_**and it'll cost money to get it fixed.**

**Money I don't have.**

_**ANYWAYS!**_

_**Reviews are LOVE! And I finally decided to devote my life to them.**_

_**-_SuperSmasher4Ever_-**_


	3. Running

**Sorry for the late chapter.**

**I really have no excuse.**

**Really.**

**Okay.**

**On with the disclaimer.**

**Please.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the Pokémon franchise.**

**x :P x**

"So you're telling me you're afraid of bugs?" Ash asked Misty.

She shuddered. "They're so creepy!"

"How'd you get past here in the first place, then? There's no other way to get to Route 1 than by going through Viridian Forest."

She blushed. "S-shut up! I heard from one of my sisters that Horsea live there."

"Horsea?" Ash took out his Pokédex and looked up Horsea. Scrolling down, he found the image of a small blue Seahorse-like Pokémon.

"It says here that they live in colder waters. Horsea wouldn't be living south of Kanto." He said, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I don't have a Pokédex, so how would I know this?!" She yelled angrily.

"You _are _a water trainer, right?" He asked, incredulous.

"Of course I am! I just haven't… actually left Cerulean City before." Misty rubbed the back of her head.

Ash shook his head. "Whatever, we're around half way through the forest anyway. There doesn't seem to be much Pokémon here, or else I'd say I wanted to stay here and catch one."

Misty shuddered again. "Good… if none of those creepy Pokémon are around, then I'm happy…"

"I wonder what you'd say to a water/bug Pokémon…" Ash muttered.

Misty looked torn. "Only if it didn't look like a bug!"

They continued walking in silence. Occasionally, they'd hear a rustle in a bush, or tree. Whenever the trainers heard them, Ash would want to see what it was, but Misty would push him along the path. The pattern continued until they were nearly through the forest.

"I could definitely go for some lunch right now…" Misty mumbled.

Ash shrugged. "The Pokémon Center has a cafeteria, I think. We could stop there after this…"

Pikachu, who had given up on anything exciting happening, had been returned into its Pokéball early through the forest. Ash looked through the transparent top of the Pokéball. Pikachu was still sleeping soundly. It felt weird to have a Pokémon to him, after years of observing trainers on TV and the ones that visited Professor Oak on occasion.

He'd have to get more money somehow. He only brought a little bit of money that he had saved, and could probably get a few potions and Pokéballs, but it wouldn't last. He'd have to challenge other trainers for a bit of cash. Gambling was out of the question, as the Game Corner was all the way in Celadon…

And it was illegal for kids his age to gamble, so he figured it wouldn't work out anyways.

The two trainers finally made it through the gate, and into Pewter City. Misty breathed a sigh of relief.

"I can't believe we made it through without seeing a _Bug._" She spat the word like it was the reason for all her problems.

"Unfortunately," Ash joked.

"Oh, shut up." She mumbled.

"I couldn't have caught any, anyways. I don't have any extra Pokéballs." Ash said.

"What? I thought all trainers were given Pokéballs to start out with…" She said, confused.

"I...uh, lost them." He said, blushing. He couldn't tell her he'd run away from home, without a Trainer's license.

"Tch, and you said _I'm _stupid…"

"Lets just find the Center." He started walking, leaving Misty behind.

"Hey, wait up!" She yelled after him.

"Boys...always impatient..."

**x :P x**

It was at the Pokémon Center, that Ash realised how worried his mother would be when she discovered he wasn't home…

"Excuse me, are you Ash Ketchum?" Someone asked him when he walked through the Center.

He turned to the Nurse, surprised. "Yeah, why?"

She scowled at him. "Did you leave your home to go on the road?"

That was also when Ash realised how screwed he was.

"I, uh… why do you-" He tried to asked her how she knew.

"Your family called the center in Viridian and here asking if you were there. She said you ran away from home." The nurse said, almost angry.

"I will call her to tell her you're here, so stay put. She sounded very angry at you." She went behind the counter to the Center's phone.

Ash was always one for acts of impulsiveness. This was one of those moments, as he bolted out of the center, ignoring the Nurse's shouts to come back. He grabbed Misty as she walked by.

"Hey, what're you...Ash?" She yelled as he pulled her to Route 3.

"Change of plans. We're heading to Cerulean _now._"

**x :P x**

Ash had told Misty his reason for going to Cerulean.

"My mother told me I wasn't allowed to go on a journey, so I left on my own."

Misty was shocked. "But why? All kids usually go on journeys at some point…"

He stopped and pulled back his hair from his left eye. The vertical scar clearly visible, and his shut eye.

"I lost the sight in my left eye when I was younger." He explained.

Misty was still confused, as shown by her expression. "But it doesn't seem like to bad an injury… at least not enough to stay home all your life."

Ash's face softened. "My mom is very protective. She worried that if I went, I could be attacked without seeing it coming. I also have bad depth perception because of it."

"Its not a bad thing to have a protective mother, you know." Misty replied.

"I know...its just that, I had always wanted to be a Pokémon trainer. I mean, can you imagine me sitting in an office for hours?" Ash laughed a little.

"Not after the incident with the Spearow. That was an act of impulsiveness right there." Misty chuckled.

They continued walking, at a slightly faster pace.

"My mother is also looking for me… but I don't want to be found. She'd never let me out of her sight after this."

"I know _I _wouldn't."

Ash sighed, as they came to a stop at the Pokémon Center near Mt. Moon.

"The nurse said that my mother only called Viridian and Pewter's Pokémon Centers, so we should be able to stop here."

"Finally, I'm starving," They walked into the Center, and true enough, the Nurse never asked who Ash was. They ate dinner in the Center, while Nurse Joy let their Pokémon out in a fenced area outside. Ash made sure to sit next to a window, so that he could watch all the Pokémon out in the field.

After dinner, they sat around in their room, talking.

"You know, you won't be able to challenge Brock now. I doubt you want to go back there."

Ash shook his head. "Definitely not until stuff cools down a bit."

"You won't be able to run from her forever. She will find you eventually." Misty said.

"I know. But when she does, I will prove I can be a Pokémon Trainer." Ash said, determinedly.

"Yep. And, just so you know, when I get back to Cerulean, I'm not taking it easy on you during our match." Misty grinned.

Ash grinned right back. "Couldn't have said it better myself," he laughed.

"We also missed the Pokémart, so you won't be able to catch any more Pokémon," Misty smiled. "That is, if you didn't have such a good friend like me."

She pulled out five Pokéballs from her bag. Ash smiled and thanked her.

"Looks like Pika won't be so lonely after all." They both shared a laugh, then began to get ready for sleep. Ash let Pikachu out of its Pokéball to sleep on his bed. He frowned as he realised he didn't know any of Pikachu's attacks. He'd have to fix that.

Ash also decided that tomorrow, he would finally begin training.

**x :P x**

**Ta-da! Its finished. Entire story done. Thats all I'm going to write. It is complete. Nothing more needs to be said, other than I am a terrible liar. **

**Anyways, I digress. I think thats how you use that word… Next update will be Give Little to Give Much, like it has been. Also, I am finding it is difficult for me to remember what belongs in which story, laughably. If anyone runs into those kinds of mistakes, please let me know, and I will fix them immediately.**

**Also, any questions that are asked in the Reviews section will be answered in the below AN. Just so people know they can skip it if they want. **_**But **_**I suggest you not, because your question may be very well answered there, even if you don't know you had a question.**

**-Reviews-**

**Hero in the shadows1: I don't plan for there to be a ship. I am only just starting out, and I am very inexperienced with romance, as sad as that may sound. I would prefer to keep in mostly **_**friendship. **_**Who knows, I may even drop Misty after Cerulean.**

**thor94: Ash has only a bit of money, true. But I have made sure there is a way for him to obtain some. He's gonna have some serious questioning to do to figure out some of the stuff he needs to. Or he could probably just talk to a Nurse Joy, but what's the fun in that? Misty is practically no help in this situation, as she's a Water Trainer. I doubt she'd know a Electric Mouse's eating habits.**

**Reviews are Love, and I finally decided to devote my life to them.**


	4. Tunnelling

**I don't own Pokémon!**

**FINAL EXAMS *Insert sad face***

**I'M NOT EVEN DONE WITH THEM YET!**

**SCHOOOOOOOOL!**

**I get that they try, and I respect that. But that doesn't mean that every assignment has to be SO DAMN BORING!**

**Let me just note that the above was written near the end of school. Congrats me, I am a terrible. Yes, I am a terrible.**

**Don't even get me started on public speaking. Seriously, this story isn't rated high enough for me to explain my displeasure.**

**But enough about my sorrow…**

**x :( x**

"Hey, Ash."

No response.

"Ash?"

Still none.

"_Ash._"

Just snoring.

A slap was heard around the Center.

"_Ow!_" Ash rubbed his cheek. "Why?!"

"Get up when I tell you and that wouldn't happen!" Misty yelled.

Ash checked the room's clock. "Its not even nine yet!"

"To get through the mountain we need to wake up early. I don't want to have to spend any more time in there as needed." Misty explained as she grabbed her bag. Ash noticed that she was already dressed.

"Why didn't you tell me last night?" Ash got off the bed, grabbing his bag and unzipping it.

"I thought you would have had some common sense? A mountain isn't exactly an easy thing to go through in a day." Misty called from the bathroom, grabbing any things left over from that morning.

"I haven't even been outside of Pallet and Viridian, how was I supposed to know that? I'd at least think they would have made it simple to travel…" Ash muttered, taking out his clothes and pokéballs. Enlarging pikachu's, he returned the sleeping rodent before standing by the bathroom.

"Don't take forever in there…" Ash muttered again.

"Just grabbing things, don't get all impatient." She walked out, letting the ten year old in.

After getting ready, or as ready as any could get to traverse a mountain with his limited funds, Ash walked out of the Pokémon center into the cool morning air. Misty followed him out.

They walked down the path that led to the Cave's entrance. Ash slowed down a bit to talk to Misty.

"You think I could start training pikachu before our match? I don't even know any of his moves yet…" Ash trailed off.

"Its not like there is a set time yet," She said as they walked.

"Just checking," He thought for a second. "Hey, any chance you could give me any… cluesto what pokémon you're using?"

Misty snorted," Yeah, in your dreams."

Ash sweatdropped. "Aw, come on… You already know what Pokémon I have…"

"Yep, and it's a pikachu, an electric type that has an advantage over mine."

Ash rubbed his head. "It was worth a shot, I guess."

"No, it really wasn't. Did you honestly think I'd tell you? I have to keep it semi fair. I don't go around announcing my pokémon to random people off the streets, do I?" She asked.

"I thought Gym Leaders allowed spectators in their gyms...?"

"It was rhetorical. No, even if you are my friend, I won't give you an advantage over any one else."

Ash smiled a bit. "Thats pretty, uh… Admirable, I guess."

Misty smiled too, looking ahead. "Thanks, Ash."

"But seriously, no clues?"

"Oh, by the way Ash, I lied. I never left my mallet at the Center."

"...Damn it."

**x :( x**

"Hey, you got a light or something?" Ash asked Misty. They were both hesitant to step into the cave before they could see.

"I don't think I- oh wait!" She pulled a Pokéball out of her pocket. "Light this place up for me, Staryu."

An orange starfish pokémon appeared in a flash. Its red jewel lit up the cave and allowed them to see where they were walking.

"I know I said you wouldn't be getting any hints, but I am only showing you Staryu, okay?" Misty said to Ash.

"Yeah, yeah. Where do you usually find your pokémon? I know Cerulean city has like a cape or something, but there can't be too many different kinds."

Misty stepped over a suspicious looking boulder, a flash of Staryu's attack revealed it to be a Geodude. "Well, I caught most of my pokémon by the cape, but I also caught some by Vermillion and the pier in the east."

"Really," Ash seemed surprised. "I thought that was closed down a while ago."

Misty hummed. "It was, but they opened it a few months ago. There wasn't many people over there besides the construction workers."

Staryu flashed as a few Zubat flew overhead. Ash and Misty ducked as a stray one almost hit them.

"Do you remember how long it takes to get through here," Ash asked.

"It took me a couple of hours, but I got kind of… lost a few times." Misty replied.

Ash stopped. "Misty."

"Yeah?" Misty stopped as well.

"Do you know where we are?"

Misty blinked. "Uh… no?"

Ash sat down slowly. "...damn it."

**x :( x**

As they walked through what they _hoped _was the way out, Ash's foot bumped into something. Picking it up, he said, "Hey, Misty. Look at this."

He held up a small painted black sheet of metal. It was dented and had a bit of paint chipped off, but a red "R" was clearly visible. Misty glanced at it.

"What is it?" She asked.

Ash shrugged, "It was here in the ground. Think it's important?"

"I don't know. Would it have been here if someone needed it?" She replied.

"Hm… Should we just leave it here?" He looked at it.

Misty sighed. "If they needed it, they shouldn't have just left it in a cave. Speaking of the cave, let's get _out _of the cave."

"Alright, alright." He dropped it and they kept on going through the cave.

**x :( x**

Ash squinted through his eye. "Hey, is that light?"

Misty perked up, "Where!?"

"There," Ash pointed, and he had never seen a human run faster before in his life. Actually, he'd never seen a _pokémon _run faster.

He caught up as fast as he could, which as to say he only did so because she stopped to recall her Staryu.. "Sweet sunshine! I have never been so happy to be outside before…"

Ash rubbed his stomach. "I wish I had brought something better than a few ration bars with us… Lets just go to the Center. I'm starving!"

Misty nodded. "Me too. Hey, what time is it?"

Ash looked at the sun. "Hm… around five. Why?"

"Lets skip the gym battle for now. I don't feel like doing anything after that awful time in the cave…"

Ash snickered, too quietly for Misty to hear.

_Wait 'till she sees the Rock Tunnel._

**x :( x**

**I'd say I was sorry for the incredibly late update, but it's happened too much before to be worth anything at this point. I **_**can **_**say I am incredibly happy with all the reviews this story has gotten!**

**Thank you to:**

**Shadragon - I guess Ash will just have to make sure to not get accused of anything by Jenny, ha!**

**HellsMaji - It's really a matter of comic relief. That part wasn't supposed to be serious, I just thought I was straying too far from Misty's character and personality.**

**Dragonsrule18 - Thank you so much! I'm sorry you have to be kept waiting so long by me.**

**X59 - I am still debating whether to have Pikachu stay in the ball or not.**

**LoneWolfsRage - Will do! (Hopefully)**

**Mewtwo23 - No, in the beginning of the story- though I doubt anyone remembers it- I mentioned a Pokémon Migration. That will play a role in Ash's captures.**

**thor94 - To both of your reviews, I- and to not spoil much, if not anything- a battle will result in the loser paying the winner. **

**Hero in the shadows1 - No romance, I am terrible at romance. Friendship only. I am, thankfully, good at friendship. Misty will not be in forever. She was really just an addition to differentiate from my other story that I am currently writing alongside this one. She will be popping up from time to time, though.**

**HMP - Thanks! I hope so too…**

**Hinagiku Flower - I don't know what was going through my head when I wrote that, but I assume it was me thinking along the lines of: Pika too hurt. No attack. I am quite a simple mind. He does pass out quite a bit in this story…**

**Treetho - Hopefully my muse keeps up with this story.**

**As usual, Thank you to all that reviewed, and will hopefully continue to review.**

**Reviews are love, and I finally decided to devote my life to them.**

**-_SuperSmasher4Ever_-**


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